Mics, Web Cams, and Revelations
by always krissy
Summary: Rogue speaks with Alex via Scott's webcam and mic, and some things are revealed. [RogueScott implied, RogueAlex implied, 11]


ï»¿ TITLE: Mics, Web Cams, and Revelations  
AUTHOR: always krissy  
DISCLAIMER: X-Men: Evolution belongs to the wonderful people at KidsWB (what? they rule, man. They brought us so much animated fun. :D) and Marvel, and millions of other people. Please don't sue me, mmkay?  
AUTHOR NOTES: This is for Emma and Palla, who were both my supports throughout ALL my X-Men fics (ugh, so long ago since I wrote Evo regularly...) so they get applause because I am thinking about writing more. :D :D  
PAIRING: Rogue/Scott implied, Rogue/Alex implied  
RATING: PG

  
"Hi," Rogue said, uncertainly into the mic in her gloved hand. She threw Scott a pleading look as she turned the mic off, ignoring the cheerful greeting she got in return. "Do I have to do this?"  
  
"Yes," he said, firmly, and he grinned at her. Her breath caught in her throat. His smile, she thought dazedly, was the thing that attracted her most to him. He was never afraid to smile at her, and it was never nervous or half-hearted, like everyone else's. "I want you and Alex to be friends! Besides, Jean asked me for help with tonight's supper, and Alex is here," at his words, he gave a wave at the web cam on his desk, "and someone needs to talk to him."  
  
"Why can't Kitty?" she demanded. "She's better at this kinda stuff, anyway."  
  
"She's helping Lance and his goons study, over at their place," Scott said. Rogue felt a trickle of annoyance at the blatant distaste in his tone of words. Scott would never hide his feelings about her ex-teammates. And as much as Rogue liked him, Rogue knew it was one of his (little, in her opinion) flaws. "She should be back soon," he continued, "but not soon enough."  
  
"Oh. Well... I can make dinner, and you and Jean can talk to Alex," Rogue offered, hopefully.  
  
It wasn't that she disliked Alex, because she really didn't, it was just the idea of talking on a microphone with someone she didn't know. She was used to being able to run when she got uncomfortable at school. She could hide in the girl's room until they were gone.. But here... On a mic? She couldn't run. She couldn't hide and just wait for him to log off. Scott would get mad, and Alex would think she was rude. And Rogue really wasn't, she just... Liked to protect herself.  
  
"I can see everything you're saying, you know."  
  
Rogue jumped at the sound of Alex's voice and she snuck a peek at the screen. Alex offered a small wave, and Rogue felt her cheeks burn.  
  
"How?" she asked. Her flushed cheeks darkened, under her layers of makeup, and she quickly turned her mic back on. "How?" she repeated. She didn't notice Scott's silent exit, or the smile that was playing on his lips.  
  
"I learned how to read lips when I was younger," Alex explained. "My best friend is deaf and she taught me."  
  
"Oh," Rogue said. She digested this piece of information, and squinted at the screen. "You can see that clearly?"  
  
"I'm used to it," Alex laughed. Rogue decided, then and there, that she liked his laugh. It had honesty in it that she'd only heard in one other, who happened to be his brother. She could see why they were related. "Scott isn't clear sometimes, because there's always loud rock music blaring nearby when we chat."  
  
Rogue glanced at her lap. "That would be my music," she said, embarrassed. Was her music really that loud?  
  
"I know," he grinned. "Scott told me that. Who do you listen to, anyway?"  
  
Rogue looked back up, and grinned sheepishly, "Garbage. Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails... Stuff like that."  
  
Alex's nose wrinkled and Rogue couldn't help but notice how cute he looked when he did that. "Ugh. You actually listen to that?"  
  
"What do you listen to?" Rogue eyed him curiously. He was a blond, and from her memories of pictures Scott showed them, she could remember surfer clothing. She'd heard Scott speaking to him on speaker phone once, and his speech sounded just like the clich?d surfer. Pop music. It had to be. "Britney Spears?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
Rogue's eyebrows rose, and a silence fell between them, before she commented, "I guess it is expected."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
Rogue smirked, but felt a twinge of self doubt at his words. "Well, you're a surfer, right? That's the kind of thing you listen to, isn't it?"  
  
"I like rap, mostly," he corrected, "but I just like to jam to her music. Awesome to dance to, you know."  
  
"I wouldn't know," Rogue countered, snidely. Alex looked taken aback by her tone, and Rogue sighed. "Scott never told you about my mutant powers?"  
  
"That you can't touch anyone? Yeah," he looked puzzled, "but you can't dance, either? You don't need to touch someone to dance. Unless I'm doing it wrong."  
  
Rogue sighed, "I just don't." Vivid images of absorbing Kitty's dancing skills were still imprinted in her every waking thought and she was suddenly glad Alex didn't know about that.  
  
Alex was wise enough to change the topic, although Rogue could see the desire on his face to continue it. He's just like Scott, she thought, and he wants everyone to be happy.  
  
"You don't sound like a surfer," Rogue ventured, after another moment's pause. "What gives?"  
  
Alex hesitated. "Tell you what. If I answer, you have to answer me a question, too."  
  
It was Rogue's turn to hesitate. What could it hurt? It wasn't like he could be too personal. ...Could he?  
  
"I guess," she said, at last. She bit her lip nervously. She hoped this wouldn't turn into one of those "let's spill our guts" talks that Kitty tried to get her and Jean to do. It was bad enough, then, and now here she was, doing it with a total stranger.  
  
But, she decided, Alex was a good stranger to do it with. And... He was awfully cute...  
  
"It's a mask."  
  
The word 'mask' caught Rogue's attention, and she blinked, in surprise.  
  
"A mask?" she repeated. "What do you have to hide?" She couldn't stop the anger that laced her words. Of all people... How could he possibly have anything to hide? He was cute, and he could touch, and he lived at the beach and surfed, and could have anyone he wanted...  
  
"Everything," he said. His lips twisted into a bitter smile. "I'm not really all that cheery, and happy. Family life sucks, and my friends deserted me at school, because it accidentally slipped that I'm a freak, with 'mutie powers.' Mom wasn't too pleased that everyone found out... And she and dad are talking about me changing schools, and why should I have to hide behind," his voice turned more laid back, and his words came out lazy and almost childish, "my mask? Especially with you?" He was glaring, and Rogue felt bad about her question now. "I thought you'd understand."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"I'm sorry," Rogue told him sincerely, and she really did mean it. "I guess... I guess... I know what you mean," she told him. She carefully made her face blank, and continued to speak, "I'm...like that, too. I..."  
  
"You really suck at heart-to-hearts," Alex commented. He was giving her a tentative smile, which broadened when she started to growl beneath her breath. "Do you still have pieces of Sabretooth in you?"  
  
Rogue blinked, and the growling stilled. "What? How did you know about that?"  
  
"Scott told me," Alex told her, cheerfully. His smile was back, and Rogue knew their previous conversation was over... For now.  
  
"Oh, big surprise," she muttered. She wondered how much Scott talked about her.  
  
"You'd be pretty without so much makeup."  
  
Rogue weirdly eyed him, and made a face. "I like my makeup," she said, defensively.  
  
"My turn to ask a question," he informed her. He continued, before Rogue could tell him she didn't want to play anymore, "Why do you wear all that makeup?"  
  
She felt like telling him off. It would be the easiest way to end the return of the questions, but she had agreed.  
  
"It's my mask," she dully explained.  
  
"I poured my whole heart out to you and that's the only answer I get?" he asked, in mock outrage.  
  
"It's my escape. If you can't see the real me, you can't see me at all..."  
  
"Hey, I'm back," a voice commented, before Alex could reply. Scott stood in the doorway to his room, and Rogue blinked in surprise at seeing him.  
  
"Already?" Rogue asked in disbelief. She glanced at the computer clock. A half hour had gone by. THAT was thirty minutes?  
  
"Aww, can't you go away, big bro?"  
  
Scott grinned, and glanced sideways at Rogue, who looked just as disappointed as his brother. There was also something else he couldn't decide about her expression, but before he could wonder, it was gone.  
  
"Yep, sorry. We have to go eat in a minute, and I wanted to talk to you before we had to go."  
  
Rogue listened to the conversation between the two brothers with little interest. She was too busy staring at the computer screen. Alex was so calm, and his accent was fully back, and she wondered why he hid from Scott. Scott, out of everyone, could understand. He wore an identical mask, although it wasn't as complex as hers. Or even Alex's...  
  
Alex seemed to notice her gaze, and looked from Scott's tall, lanky form, to her, and grinned.  
  
"Hey, Rogue," he broke through her reverie, and she peered curiously at him. "Tell Scott to get lost tomorrow and we can talk again."  
  
Rogue wondered if it would be a good idea. It had been nice, talking to someone who kinda understood, and was so different from herself. And it wasn't like she had to worry about touching him. It was impossible through the Internet.  
  
"Okay," she told him. She nodded at Scott, and as she passed through the doorway, she touched her bottom lip, and rubbed her finger tips against the thick lipstick. Traces came off on her white glove, and she could just think of Alex's words.  
  
"Can I borrow your Britney Spears CD?" she asked Kitty, as the younger girl joined her in the hallway.  
  
Kitty opened and closed her mouth in surprise. "Like sure!"  
  
When Scott joined them, seconds later, they went downstairs together, and Rogue couldn't hide the smile when the others greeted them.  
  
Maybe she didn't have to hide, all the time.  
  
"So," she said, when everyone was sitting, "where can a girl go dancing at?"  
  
--- 


End file.
